Cycling in Bellagio on Lake Como is a pleasure. Rarely have I been to a nicer place, and with the bike this is really worth a visit. We were only one night here, but would have liked more.It will be at the next opportunity. First of all, an important presentation of an incredibly perfect place to stay for cyclists.

HOTEL IL PERLO BIKE HOTEL, Bellagio / Lake Como

Bellagio is a small town that sits in the beautiful Lake Como. This is a wonderful place and just perfect for cyclists (and others), and therefore worthy of a separate article. ”Il Perlo Panorama” is located in the hills above Bellagio, in the midst of the steep part of a famous climbing bike – Passo del Ghisallo.

We rented our bikes at “Hotel il Perlo Panorama”, at good price and great service from Carlo and the others who run this place. If you are flying to Milan, only 1.5 hours drive to Bellagio and then you have the basis for a great cycling holiday in northern Italy. We got good prices on renting totally fine Kemo carbon bikes with 50/34 crankset and 11-29 cassette at the back. Suitable for biking on steep slopes, and a lot of up and down. Shimano 105 gear system works fine.

Italians are passionate about cycling and Carlo talked about bike with great enthusiasm. We heard Lampre, pro team that inhabit Lecco only a few mil away. He told of cycle routes in the area, records slopes and responded enthusiastically to everything we asked for.

Fabio Negri is an ex-professional cyclist in 29 years working for the hotel as bike guide. He also works in the technical team Lampre and participated there as an employee during the Giro d’Italia this year. We were offered to have him on a bike ride as a guide, but it did not fit in our plan this time

Passo del Ghisallo

Details: Length 10.6 km ….. 600 meters in total …. 5.2% rise in average (incl. long downhill about the middle of going down the average).
This climb is used in the Giro di Lombardia for many years and is a well-known climbing bike in this region of Italy. I rode this today, along with the climb up the Muro di Sormano. These two in combination were told that will be next year’s ground speed in the Giro. What a circus it will be that case up tight Muro di Sormano at the end.
Carlo told that Bettini has record of Ghisallo with 19.23 min.That is an average speed of well over 30 km / h at a distance of more than 1 mil, 550 meters up…